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Tears glittered on the comtesse’s cheeks, and he took her hand, squeezing it. “Let’s go. I don’t know what other mischief is planned for the night, but the sooner we reach the palace, the better.”
She nodded, turning her face away from the fiery inferno of her home with a resolute look. “Only the king can help us now, and I don’t hold out much hope he will be of any use.”
Hugh took her hand, surprised at how icy cold it was even in the warm night. Since they could not take the most direct path to Versailles lest they encounter a mob of peasants, they would have to travel farther into the woods before cutting back. He started toward the deeper section of woods, where the trees grew thick, keeping her at his side.
“I have not ever met the French king,” he said, “but I understand the mantle of power does not fit him.”
“He would much rather hunt or repair clocks than deal with matters of state. It’s not that he is unintelligent.”
“Watch your step here.”
“I see it. Thank you.” She had to lift her petticoat to climb over a fallen log. “But he is perhaps too introspective. It is not easy for him to make decisions, and these times call for decisive action.”
“And the queen?”
“She is the stronger of the two. Wait.” She bent and yanked at her skirts. “I’m caught.” She struggled further until finally managing to free herself, but not until he heard the rip of muslin. “There.” She took his hand again, and he was pleased at the gesture. He could at least provide her some compassion, some comfort through his touch.
“What was I saying?”
“You were telling me about the queen.” He led her deeper into the woods, beginning now to look for a place to cut over. If only he had some light, he could move more quickly. As it was, they had to go slowly for fear of stumbling or tripping.
“She is clever and decisive. If she were in charge, I have no doubt these uprisings would have been put down long ago. But she is hampered by the people’s dislike of her and her birth. Even after all these years, she’s still considered Austrian. If the populace thought she influenced the king’s decisions, he would lose what little popularity he has.”
Which meant all their efforts to reach Versailles might be for naught. But he would not say so aloud. She had already lost everything. He could not take away her one last glimmer of hope.
They walked in silence for a long time, stopping occasionally so she might disentangle herself or he might help her over a piece of difficult ground.
“Should we not start toward Versailles now? I think we’ve gone far enough into the woods.”
“I’ve already started that way. I’m looking for the road now. If it’s clear, we can take it to the palace.”
She stopped. “We’re still walking away from the road. We have to turn that way to reach the palace.” She pointed back the way they’d come.
“No, we’ve already been that way.”
She withdrew her hand from his. “I know these woods, and I say we must go that way.”
“You might know the woods near your château in the daylight, but it’s dark and you’re miles from home. Look at the stars.” With all the branches above them, the stars were difficult to see. She moved to study them.
“I followed that one there and then turned east to follow that one.” He frowned. Or had he been following that other one?
“Look how light the sky has become. It will be morning in a few hours.”
He heard the weariness and frustration in her voice. Hugh did not think he was lost, but he could not be certain. His own instinct was to push on and make every attempt to reach the palace. But if he was walking in circles, he could hardly drag her along with him. She needed rest and surely they would make better progress in the daylight. It would be dangerous traveling in the light of day, but it was dangerous tromping through the woods in the dark when a misstep could cause a broken neck or leg.
“We should stop for a few hours.” He explained his reasoning, and she agreed without protest. Before he could suggest finding a place to rest, she sank down onto the carpet of soil and leaves.
“I don’t want to take another step,” she said, lying on her back. “I would crawl for some water, but otherwise I simply want to lie here and not move.”
Hugh might have preferred to find a more comfortable spot, perhaps one with a fallen log to sit on or somewhere near a small creek, but he too was weary. He lay down beside her and looked up at the sky. It was more gray than black now. Propping his hands behind his head, he studied it for a long time.
“Why did you help me?” she asked. She’d been silent for so long, he thought she’d fallen asleep.
“You were standing near me. It seemed natural.”
She turned to look at him, and he could see her pale face in the dim light. “You were dancing with the duchesse. It would have been more natural to help her. She was much closer.”
“She also had the duc, her husband, to protect her. You had no one.”
